noragamifandomcom-20200222-history
Ebisu
Ebisu (恵比寿) is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. He is the humorless God of Fishing and Commerce. He first appears in the manga trying to buy Yukine (once he becomes a blessed regalia) off Yato's hands for an incredible amount of money. Ebisu is later revealed to be attempting to gain control over phantoms - a severe taboo if not sin in the eyes of the heavens - going as far as descending to the underworld to achieve his goal. After Yato, under Father's command, reaches him and ensures his safe exit from Izanami's realm, Ebisu is eliminated by Pacification Ring, causing his reincarnation as a young boy with no memory of his past life. Appearance Contrasting with him being perhaps the most revered of the Seven Gods of Fortune, Ebisu's appearance is actually the most plain. His appearance is based on how a typical Japanese "salaryman" (サラリーマン, Sararīman), or corporate white-collar worker, would look. He almost always wears a black suit with a white undershirt, a grey vest and a blue tie, sometimes along with a black coat and white gloves - which are actually two of his shinki. He has short, neatly combed black hair and his eyes are colored a striking green. His eyes usually look very opaque, with no visible pupils, and are his most distinctive facial feature. After reincarnating, child Ebisu looks generally similar to how he used to be before, only with more liveliness in his eyes and a slightly messy hair. Instead of wearing a full suit like the adult Ebisu, young Ebisu wears a sweater vest over a white short-sleeved dress shirt, and black shorts. Personality Initially, Ebisu appears very stoic, always bearing a near-emotionless facial expression and speaking in a reserved, polite, yet aloof tone. He is also highly pragmatic and resourceful, constantly progressing towards his goals and willing to go to great lengths - such as putting his health at grave risk and descending to the underworld - to achieve what he is after. Despite his aloof appearance and personality, he can actually be a silly person, making him appear rather comically serious at times. This was shown when, during his trip to the underworld while Yato protected him, he continued to look into the eyes of the many Ayakashi there, causing them to attack them and forcing Yato to protect him frequently. Another occurrence was when he stated he couldn't even tie a shoelace and asked Yato if he could tie shoelaces. Yato comically replied he was better at bondage knots but Ebisu didn't get the joke and said "As expected of a War God", to which Yato was exasperated that he didn't react. Also when he used the locution brush for the first time against Izanami's beldams, Ebisu was amazed at the brush almost forgetting that he was being chased. Even when reincarnated he has a comical side as shown when he tripped in the middle of the street and was nearly run over causing Yato to worry and help him up. It is later revealed that the reason Ebisu agrees to put himself at risk and take such extreme measures is due to how, in every incarnation, he was always taught that, being a significant god, he could never truly "die" and would always be reborn. Aside from making Ebisu take his personal safety lightly, this also had a somewhat traumatizing influence on him, causing him to believe that himself as an individual is not important and that he must focus only on the task that has been passed down to him by his own previous incarnations. He is also a truly kind God, as his desire to control and name Ayakashi and go to the underworld to retrieve the location brush is because he believed if he did so he could relieve some of the strife and pain that Ayakashi cause and make the world a truly better place. This is shown when he is reincarnated and talks to Yato, saying when he realized he existed he took in the atmosphere and immediately fell in love with the world and wanted to bring the world and humans happiness, with Yato stating that was his true inner character and the type of person he has always been and will be. This is once again stated in chapter 39 by Kunimi, who states that the master wanted to control Ayakashi to improve the world as he grew to understand that money alone cannot make humans happy. Yato's words to Ebisu in Yomi caused a change in the latter's view of himself and encouraged him to strive to survive and live as the being his current, individual self is. Sadly, the Ebisu that had reached this realization was eliminated by Takemikazuchi, causing the birth of a new incarnation. The personality of the current incarnation of Ebisu, that is still a child, fits his age, as well as the fact he was recently "born" with no memory of his past lives. He is very curious, and also jolly and friendly, yet is also well-mannered like his past adult form. Flashbacks of the previous Ebisu show that his current personality is just like the one the previous incarnation had as a child, up until he began his instruction under his lead Shinki Iwami, meant to prepare him to continue what the past incarnations had started. He is also shown to be easily influenced by those around him, as shown when he continually calls Bishamonten Pervy-san (or psycho bitch depending on translation) because Yato told him that was her real name. He seems to be particularly attached to Yato, often running to him when they meet like in Chapters 52 and 58. He tends not to understand jokes and takes them literally like the previous incarnation that met Yato. Being a god of commerce, Ebisu has several traits that recur in all of his incarnations instinctively, such as his mind for business and the importance money has in his eyes. He also holds the state of the Japanese economy in very high regard by nature, dreaming of economic success for the country even as a child, as well as becoming furious when Kofuku triggers the sharp decline of the early 90's bubble economy. Also present in all of Ebisu's incarnations is his incredible clumsiness, which is so severe that he can't even tie his shoelaces without the help from his Shinki. Despite being so terribly clumsy, Ebisu has a surprising talent for fishing, which is probably related to how he is also a god of fishing. One last trait of Ebisu's that is unique, if not unheard of, among gods, is his sympathy towards strays. This feeling, as he has stated, stems from how he himself was rejected by the first person to give him a name - his mother Izanami. Plot He first appears in chapter 25 after Bishamonten comes out of her meeting with the Gods regarding the incident where Kuguha manipulated her and Yato to fight and kill each other and most of her shinki were killed as a result, making the heavens see her in a negative light. As she gets out of the meeting and talks to Kazuma, Ebisu offers to buy Kazuma and doesn't care if he is a stray or not since Kazuma is a rare blessed hafuri, though Kazuma tells Bishamonten the only God he wants to serve is her. Then, in chapter 26 he tries to buy Yukine also stating he doesn't mind sharing Yukine, or having him be a stray. When Yukine is nearly tempted by the money, Ebisu calls it disgraceful since as Yato's guidepost Yukine must be moral and not let himself fall to temptation. He then gives Yato a load of money and tells him to go build himself a shrine. Yukine thinks about the offer but ultimately decides not to accept and throws the money Ebisu gave away to attract the ayakashi he and Yato were called to kill. Ebisu is later seen going down into the Underworld, and Yato and Nora follow. Here he is shown to be incredibly clumsy, looking at all the phantoms Yato told him not to. When they finally reach Izanami, he receives a phantom brush, declaring Yato would be her friend and the one left behind, to Yato's displeasure. They then fight briefly, then run for it, after Ebisu tells Izanami he was happy to see her again, as she was his mom. Ebisu then loses two of his shinki, but keeps running. He then starts to tire out, exclaiming to Yato he did this because he wanted to help the human world, and so did all his past incarnations. Yato then realizes that Ebi wasn't all that selfish, and helps him, also because Nora said the “Father" wants Ebi. Yato then holds back Izanami, telling Ebi to run. Ebi is then caught near the gate, and gets dragged back to where Yato was fighting her. Yato questioned if Ebisu ever missed doing anything in his current form, to which Ebi thought of eating at the Olive Tavern. Ebi started to realize he didn't want to die again. Yato tells him he heard his wish loud and clear, taking off with Ebi, to Izanami's dismay and anger. Ebi summons many phantoms to drill a vent in the Underground, and he and Yato go in. Yato, however, is then pulled down. Ebi is found by Bishamon, and tells her Yato is still down there and she had to save him. The Heavens' Punishers are then seen coming to kill him once Yato was rescued by Bishamon. After demonstrating his use of phantoms in front of the Heavens to defend himself, Bishamon exclaims to him to run, and he does so. The Heavens decide to use the Pacification Ring, a form of punishment to destroy enemies of Heaven, to kill Ebisu. Yato destroys it, only for another one to form around Ebi. He is then killed. A day or so later, a young Ebi incarnation appears to a hospitalized Yato. Relationships Yato The two first met when Ebisu asked Yato to sell Yukine to him because he was interested in Yukine as he was a blessed regalia, which are extremely rare. He told Yato he was also fine "sharing" Yukine, or in other words having Yukine become a stray. Yukine rejected the offer though. Afterwards, the two met once again when Nora told Yato that father wanted Yato to save Ebisu from the underworld. Yato was suspicious as he is aware that his father is not kind and would have alternative reasons for wanting to save Ebisu. Nonetheless, Yato complied. When he went underground he became Ebisu's bodyguard of sorts. There Ebisu told him that he believed Yato could be the kind of God that could bring happiness to other people while stating how it was good he could value his own life, unlike Ebisu who was taught that even if he died it didn't matter since he would reincarnate. Eventually, it was Yato who told him that it was important that he lived for himself and that even if he is reincarnated he will lose his current self and be replaced. This gave Ebisu the will to live as Yato decided to save Ebisu because he wanted to, not because his father told him so. Unfortunately, even when Yato manages to save Ebisu from the clutches of Izanami the heavens killed Ebisu through "divine punishment". While their time together was short, Ebisu's previous incarnation had an effect on Yato as he showed belief in Yato's belief to change and bring happiness to others, while Ebisu himself grew to realize his life truly mattered, especially his current individual self. When he is reincarnated, Yato is at first apprehensive of the new Ebisu and tells him to go away. However, he later takes Ebisu to the Olive Ken, restaurant the previous Ebisu frequented and tells Ebisu that he was a brilliant, generous God that laid his life on the line for other people, something that he (Yato) could never hope to be, breaking down and apologizing for his actions. Later, Iwami who had told the reincarnations of Ebisu the wishes of his previous incarnations which involved sacrificing their lives to control the ayakashi to bring people happiness, he changes his words through Yato's influence to say that Ebisu must never sacrifice his precious life for another ever again, breaking the previous Ebisu's former conviction that their life was meaningless and allowing Ebisu to move forward. The two remain close throughout the series as the two meet frequently such as in Chapter 52 and Chapter 58 and are happy to see each other. Despite Ebisu's young age, Yato also confides some of his insecurities to Ebisu who in turn gives him advice and also tells him in Chapter 52 that his previous incarnation most likely doesn't hold a grudge at Yato for his death and that things would get better. Iwami Iwami is Ebisu's lead Shinki and guide post who has been with all of his past incarnations and therefore knows the most and all about Ebisu. Iwami is very loyal to his master and Ebisu in turn trusts him a great deal. Iwami teaches Ebisu's incarnations about his past incarnations' desires while protecting and caring for his master. He worries for Ebisu's health since Ebisu has been trying to control Ayakashi, which has led to his death and reincarnation multiple times. When the newly reincarnated Ebisu is forced to exile Iwami, he pleads with Bishamonten to hide Iwami so he can visit him. Iwami also tells the current Ebisu that he should live his life and that he shouldn't ever sacrifice his life for others again, as per the previous incarnation's wish. Kunimi Ebisu's new lead shinki after Ebisu was forced to exile Iwami. Kunimi is loyal to Ebisu and acts as his bodyguard and caretaker, often worrying about him especially since Ebisu's current incarnation has a tendency to get lost. He also acts as his armor in contact and controls Ebisu's movements since Ebisu himself is fairly clumsy. Bishamonten Bishamonten tried to save him from receiving divine punishment but ultimately failed. She seemed to have a good opinion of him as she proclaimed him eccentric but a good person and was devastated when he died and angry at the heavens. She told Iwami that Ebisu's last wish was to not die and feels sad she couldn't help him. When the sorcerer infects one of Bishamonten's Shinki and Yato reveals that his father is behind it, she punches him and says that if he is connected to the sorcerer and involved with him that he has no right to see Ebisu. She also willingly allowed Ebisu's exiled Shinki Iwami to stay with her despite the trouble she could be in. He often visits her house and they seem to be on good terms, though he calls her "pervy-san" due to Yato's influence. Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi is one of the seven Gods of Fortune often paired up with Ebisu as being the two most popular. He cares for Ebisu's welfare as shown when he was worried that Ebisu skipped out on one of the heavenly meetings and upon hearing that Ebisu was trying to be a mage and control Ayakashi, insisted that they find proof. When they did, he insisted he take part in finding and punishing Ebisu so he could at least hear why Ebisu did this but was denied by Miya one of the Shinki of the heavens, most likely as they intended to finish him off rather than listen to Ebisu's reasons and believed Okuninushi who was more sympathetic to Ebisu would get in the way. Okuninushi even went so far as to turn into a giant spider and threaten Miya in order to see Ebisu. Ultimately Ebisu died and was reincarnated and Okuninushi seems to remain on good terms with Ebisu and is even trying to figure out who the sorcerer is who framed Ebisu, alongside Bishamonten and Tenjin. Izanami Izaanami is Ebisu's mother who abandoned him because he was deformed. His sympathy for strays comes from the fact that he himself was abandoned by the first person to give him a name, his own mother. When he goes to the underworld, she doesn't seem to recognize him though he still clearly remembers her. While he only came to the underworld to get the brush that would control ayakashi, he says before he leaves that he was happy to see her. Shinki * 巖弥 Iwami - Ebisu's guidepost, who has served under many of his previous incarnations. Currently in hiding. * 邦弥 Kunimi / 邦器 Hōki - Does not transform into an item, rather he merges with Ebisu to improve his dexterity, as well as his hand-to-hand combat capabilities. He serves as Ebisu's de facto ''guidepost since Iwami, being wanted by Heaven, must remain hidden. * 筒弥 Tsutsumi / 筒器 Tōki - Nora's name under Ebisu. Transforms into a gun. * 截弥 Tatsumi and 唱弥 Utami (both deceased) - They transformed into a black trench coat and a pair of white gloves. They were killed by the beldams of the underworld during Ebisu and Yato's escape from Izanami. * 高弥 Takami (deceased) - A stray. Was executed by Heaven's sentinels during the raid on Ebisu's abode. Trivia *The ''Noragami "universe" accepts the most popular origin story of Ebisu's as the true one, giving an explanation to some of the facts given about him: **Ebisu referring to Izanami as "the mother who abandoned me" and the origin of his acceptance and ownership of strays coming from his own abandonment by Izanami. **Ebisu's clumsiness, which is probably an interpretation of how Ebisu overcame his disability by growing limbs/bones, though not completely. * He seems to like western food as one of his favorite restaurants to eat at is called the Olive Ken. He normally orders the hamburger steak, as shown in Chapter 38 and the owner there seems acquainted with Ebisu as she was able to see that the newly reincarnated Ebisu was related to the previous one, though she assumes they are father and son. * He was voted most popular God in chapter 58. * Possibly because he is a God of Fortune, he seems to have strong good luck. This is shown in chapter 52 when after walking across the street a truck nearly runs him over but he survives with no injuries as he fell right under the truck so it didn't hit him. Ebisu himself says he has confidence in his luck. * He seems to have a tendency to get lost as shown in chapter 52. *Strangely enough his nickname is Baldy by Okukinishi, despite the fact that Ebisu isn't bald at all. However, in chapter 42 when it is revealed Kofuku caused the decline of Japan's bubble era, Ebisu is so disgusted with her and stressed over Japan's declining GDP that he starts to bald. This could be where Ebisu gets his nickname Baldy from. Category:God Category:Male Category:Alive Category:Seven Gods of Fortune